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DPOC Endorsement Tango

by • November 29, 2016

Results Region 18 Pre-Primary Endorsement Vote from 2012

At last night’s DPOC meeting, Central Committee member Jeff Letourneau sought some sort of admonishment by the local party against former Party chair Frank Barbaro because Barbaro’s PAC had issued campaign mail on behalf of Anaheim Council member Jordan Brandman using Barbaro’s title as DPOC Chair Emeritus in the tight race for Anaheim City Council in District 3. There was some discussion on the issue but no action taken.

The party’s endorsed candidate in Anaheim’s District 3 city council race was Dr. Jose F. Moreno, who, as of last night was a 66 vote winner in a close race against fellow Democrat Brandman.

DPOC Chair Henry Vandermeir suggests a change to the Party’s bylaws is likely required in 2017 to prevent Central Committee members or those who had a past association with the DPOC from endorsing candidates other than the Party’s endorsed candidates. LeTourneau specifically mentioned the Brandman endorsements by Congressman-elect Lou Correa and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and how their endorsement of Brandman might require the Party to rescind their endorsement of any candidate backing someone else. Careful what you ask for Jeff.

As a Democrat, I’m not comfortable with Republicans endorsing our candidates for office — for example, Lynn Schott’s endorsement of Melissa Fox, Darryl Issa’s endorsement of Sanchez for Senate and Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait’s endorsement of Moreno and Arturo Ferraras are just some examples. It[s news when it happens, but do we really want to be aligned with people who don’t share our political values?

But before LeTourneau starts carrying water for Moreno on this mailer and Barbaro’s endorsement of an incumbent Democrat he’s endorsed before, he ought to be reminded that in 2014, Moreno endorsed Tait for Mayor and gave money to the Mayor’s re-election big over the DPOC’s endorsed candidate for Mayor, Lorri Galloway. Motreno defended that endorsement in our 2014 interview. So should the Party retroactively admonish Moreno for this endorsement using the same argument LeTourneau made last night? What do we call this? Situational hypocrisy?

Moreno won the election; Brandman conceded, yet there’s this “punish the opposition” mentally of fellow Democrats at a time we ought to be uniting that’s unseemly. In the DPOC meetings I’ve attended, Letourneau has gone after Brandman, Assemblyman Tom Daly and now Barbaro. If only he’d go after Republicans with the same vigor.

Congratulations to Moreno on his narrow victory. Move on please. Vandermeir talked about 2018 not being far away. It’s not. The 2016 election did pit friends against friends and if we have any shot at winning elections in 2018, we will have to move forward together.

It’s high time to tighten up the Party’s rules for endorsements; if you’re running on a ticket backed by a conservative Republican, you probably shouldn’t get the Party’s endorsement. If you back a Republican over a Democrat, you should probably get kicked off the Central Committee. And when we have a Democrat vs. Democrat race — Sanchez/Kamala Harris, Correa/Bao Nguyen, Brandman/Moreno — perhaps its best to let the voters, and not the party, decide who the best candidate is with their votes, the ones that truly matter.

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19 comments for “DPOC Endorsement Tango”

It is my understanding that Jeff is suffering through some kind of identity crisis. Those close to him CAN NOT understand his acceptance of Moreno not speaking out against the Ahmanson IE’s.

This is a guy who goes all nuclear on bigotry, but strangely turns a blind eye, when the BIGGEST opponent of equal rights, Howard Ahmanson donates on behalf of Jose Moreno, a 30 month Democrat, Letourneau says….NOTHING.

Jeff garners about as much respect as a gnat in todays DPOC.

Dan Chmielewski

November 29, 2016 at 7:13 pm

I can accept the notion Moreno did not seek nor coordinate with Ahmanson on the IEs. But isn’t Ahmanson a buddy of a Tait’s? That’s why the money was spent.

And sorry OJ bloggers, but just because you think Disney did coordinate their IEs with Brandman and Kring doesn’t mean you have any evidence the company did. Disney’s government relations team isn’t a bunch of amateurs.

As for a Jeff, like I said, I wish he’d go after Republicans more.

David Vasquez

November 29, 2016 at 7:20 pm

I don’t deny or believe that the IE from Ahmanson was just that an IE.

I don’t believe Jose, had anything to do with it.

I DO BELEIVE that Jeff and Jose are COWARDS. a couple of hucksters who would sell out their own for a few thousand bucks.

How the hell can Jose stand up tall, pretend he’s strong when he allowed someone who supports the reprogramming of HOMOSEXUALS???? Really Jeff? You talk a good game with your silly repeated social media messages, Your silly flag waving means nothing if you don’t effect change.

ALLOWING HATE to defeat OC’s only openly gay elected, because he’s gay, is disgusting. So are you. PHONY ACTIVIST!

Jeff LeTourneau

November 30, 2016 at 12:14 am

The only hate I see is the vitriolic ranting of a politically naive troll who hides his true identity! BTW D.R Heywood and Bao Nguyen would be surprised to hear that Jordan was OCs only Gay Public Official. And for the record I defy you to find a single instance when the Moreno Campaign was anything other than above board, truthful and honest. Jordan and his supporters however put out more than a dozen of the most vile hate filled hit pieces that this County has ever seen, including the last minute vicious personal attach on Dr Moreno’s family that was plastered all over this blog. This race was Jordan’s to lose and he lost because he sold his soul to Disney and the resort district to the tune of nearly a BILLION dollars while mortgaging the future of the next three generations of Anaheim residents. Those are the facts and all the. childish name calling in the world won’t change the fact that when Jordan went low, Dr. Moreno went high! It’s a new day in Anaheim!

D.R. Heywood is about to be OC’s only gay elected official and he supported Brandman. There are plenty of examples of Moreno supporters going low in this past election. I’ll ask you again if there are any mirrors in your house? And there’s well documented low road attacks on Brandman at OJ. Moreno himself violated the no personal attacks rule at the last candidates forum and that’s on video. I challenge you to dispute a single fact in my post about Moreno’s abused sister in law or his efforts to get his convicted abusive brother in law probation instead of jail time. Based on voter demographic, it was Moreno’s election to win and a win is a win, by less than 70 votes in the most Latino district all while selling his soul to a conservative Republican mayor he endorsed in 2014 over the party’s endorsed candidate. Wasn’t that the point of you holding Barbara accountable? But not Jose….facts matter Jeff.

David Vasquez

November 30, 2016 at 4:26 pm

Jeff,

Are you accusing me of not using my REAL name?

Please do tell, this is a favorite tactic of your delusional brother in law (of course blindly disregarding his own history as a flamethrower and defense of “Henry Lipton”, one of Dr. Moreno’s and Joe Dunn’s most ardent supporters).

I don’t have a BIG MOUTH, am not an attention starved victim, like you. In fact, I actually live in Anaheim. Funny how that works. eh.

I understand your political disagreements with Jordan, I share(d) some of them. I just don’t get on my high horse and use my Gay Bully pulpit to attack what are otherwise reasonable disagreements.

I know you believe (and I do think you actually believe) that you, a sixty year old white guy with no kids and a husband, living in Brea, CA know what’s better for Anaheim government than someone, say who actually lives in Anaheim but the reality is you live in a fantasy world. You guys will effect some change, and that is what democracy is all about, but like others have said about your “wing” of the party: “they are radicals, extremists, just like Westboro, the ALT-RIGHT and Howard Ahmanson (alright, I added that last one to piss you off). The point is simple: moderate, be humble, quit being the kid in the pink shirt SHOUTING FROM THE ROOF TOP. Just be the kid in the pink shirt Jeff. It’s 2016.

I don’t know who F’d you up that you have such a bone to pick with a minor elected official in a city in which you do not live, but I guess that’s better than shooting up a schoolyard, that’s the kind of guys you and Greg seem to a lot of people. UNHINGED.

And for the record, the only vicious attack that took place was on Lorena’s sisters FACE. That guy beat the sh!t out of here REPEATEDLY and Jose apparently thinks that’s OK. Maybe Mrs.Moreno should explain why it’s OK to BASH your wifes head in if it’s your brother doing the BASHING. She probably deserved it right?

Jeff LeTourneau

November 30, 2016 at 12:34 pm

You may be the only person walking the earth that believes it is OK for the former long time DPOC chair and current Chair Emeritous Frank Barbaro to personally author, sign and mail a hit piece against the Party’s endorsed candidate. WTF

that same Party-endorsed candidate endorsed Tom Tait for Mayor in 2014 over the Party’s endorsed candidate Lorri Galloway. And you’re OK with that? Hypocrite.

Jeff LeTourneau

November 30, 2016 at 4:42 pm

As you well know that endorsement was made prior to Dr. Moreno moving from NPP to Democrat. As Jordan had endorsed two Republicans at that time , while being a Democrat a meeting was held where it was agreed that both parties would cease and desist political activities to work on behalf of the Republicans. Let the record show that Jordan ignored the agreement and sent a mailer specifically asking Democrats to vote for Murray and Eastman in direct violation of that agreement. Research your facts before making accusations!!! Henry, Jim Pantone Melhat and I were all present at that mtg.

Moreno had become a Democrat and refused to rescind the endorsement when I interviewed him in 2014. Nice try. And I agree Jordan was wrong to send the mailer out. But Moreno ran on Tait’s ticket THIS YEAR. Condemn that MR. Party Purity. How was a Tait’s champagne. You were at that Party. Spare me your punishment of Democrats while you party with conservative Republicans

As for Iggy, what more can be said about Moreno than he wrote a letter on behalf of a wife beating maniac.

Jeff LeTourneau

November 30, 2016 at 7:40 pm

Show me one single mention of Jordan’s sexual orientation from one single person, organization or IE!!! What I can show you is that with one or two exceptions, virtually every LGBTQ community leader/ activist as well as HONOR PAC endorsed Dr. Moreno in recognition of his lifetime commitment to the social justice movement! Vs Jordans life of self service while living his life in the closet! Remember that against the desire of most of the OC Republican establishment, Mayor Tait supported Jordan’s unamously passed motion to fly the rainbow flag during Pride Month in honor of the LGBTQ community. Facts are facts and all the childish name calling in the world won’t change that! And btw joking about child electro torture is beneath contemp! SHAME ON YOU!!!

JESUS IS THE CURE

November 30, 2016 at 7:50 pm

Did Joses brother in law electro shock his kids too??? Jesus, what an animal, he beats his wifes face in, Jose defends it and now we learn that he electro-shocked his kids!

What a maniac. Why would Jose defend this???? Unless maybe they were gay and Julie Tait told Lorena that they could be “cured”.

Every LGBTQ person’s journey out of the closet is their own. It’s done when they are ready to do so. It’s something along the lines of what you yourself have said. Shame on you for criticizing Jordan’s choice.

Bao came out about the same time. He was in the closet too. Would you like to bash him while you’re at it?

Glad you acknowledged that Tait following Jordan’s lead on the Pride flag. But somehow Tait’s support of that is a greater act to you than a Jordan pushing for it?

Please go bAck and read all of the court filings on the years of abuse Moreno’s sister in law at the hands of Moreno’s brother in law. Jose isn’t the victim here. His sister in law is. I challenge you to read the documents posted here.

So HONOR PAC endorsed Moreno for a lifetime of social justice. Specifically Jeff, what has he done for the LGBTQ community?

I went back and re-read the various court documents. No reference to electro-torture but years of physical and emotional abuse of the wife and children. The things Moreno’s mother In law has to say are particularly heartless to her daughter in law’s plight

ScrewJose

December 2, 2016 at 1:01 pm

The LGBTQ leaders backed Moreno because you browbeat them to do it. Pendejo